Social Phobia

A phobia is an irrational fear. (Read about "Phobias") Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder (Read about "Anxiety"), involves overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. It's normal to feel a bit anxious before facing certain social situations; for example, many people get nervous thinking about giving a speech. But a social phobia is much more intense. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says people with social phobia have a persistent, intense and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. This fear can be so intense that it keeps them from living a normal life. They may also be fully aware of the fact that their fear is irrational, but unable to overcome it.

Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situation - such as a fear of speaking or a fear of eating or drinking in public. It can also be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other people. Many people with social phobia have a tough time finding and keeping friends. For some, social phobia makes it difficult or impossible to hold a job.

NIMH says a number of physical symptoms can accompany social phobia. These include:

• blushing
• sweating (Read about "Sweating")
• shaking
• nausea
• problems speaking

Sometimes, just thinking about a social situation can trigger an attack. People with a social phobia often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation. A person with a social phobia may also experience some of the above physical symptoms in a social situation, and then get even more embarrassed by the physical symptoms, setting up a cruel cycle in which their phobia only escalates in intensity. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) says social phobia usually starts in the early teens and often runs in families. It may occur with other anxiety disorders. For example, someone with social phobia may also experience depression. (Read about "Depressive Illnesses") They may also try to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. (Read about "Alcoholism" "Addiction")

According to NIMH, social phobia affects about 5.3 million adult Americans, with women and men affected equally.

Social phobia, like other phobias, can be treated with what's called cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. CBT tries to get a patient to change their thought patterns and see their situation differently. AAFP says this can help reduce anxiety and improve social and conversational skills. Medications, including antidepressants and beta blockers, can also be used in severe cases.

Many people with anxiety disorders find they benefit from joining a self-help group and sharing their problems and achievements with others. NIMH says talking with trusted friends or a trusted member of the clergy can also be very helpful, although not a substitute for mental health care. (Read about "Mental Health") In addition, family support is crucial for recovery.

The important thing is to realize that you're not alone. A social phobia is a very real problem, but improvement is available for many of those who seek help.

NIMH supports research into the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of anxiety disorders and other mental illnesses. (Read about "Clinical Studies") Studies examine the genetic (Read about "Genetics") and environmental risks for major anxiety disorders, their course - both alone and when they occur along with other diseases such as depression - and their treatment. The ultimate goal is to be able to cure, and perhaps even to prevent, anxiety disorders.

Several parts of the brain (Read about "The Brain") are key actors in a highly dynamic interplay that gives rise to fear and anxiety. Using brain imaging technologies and neurochemical techniques, scientists are finding that a network of interacting structures is responsible for these emotions. Much research centers on the amygdala, an almond-shaped structure deep within the brain. The amygdala is believed to serve as a communications hub between the parts of the brain that process incoming sensory signals and the parts that interpret them. It can signal that a threat is present, and trigger a fear response or anxiety. It appears that emotional memories stored in the central part of the amygdala may play a role in disorders involving very distinct fears, like phobias, while different parts may be involved in other forms of anxiety.

Other research focuses on the hippocampus, another brain structure that is responsible for processing threatening or traumatic stimuli. The hippocampus plays a key role in the brain by helping to encode information into memories. Studies have shown that the hippocampus appears to be smaller in people who have undergone severe stress (Read about "Stress") because of child abuse or military combat. This reduced size could help explain why individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (Read about "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder") have flashbacks, deficits in explicit memory and fragmented memory for details of the traumatic event.

Also, research indicates that other brain parts called the basal ganglia and striatum are involved in obsessive compulsive disorder.

By learning more about brain circuitry involved in fear and anxiety, scientists may be able to devise new and more specific treatments for anxiety disorders.

Related Information:

    Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

    Panic Disorder

    Suicide Prevention